Chief Officer's Report

It was a busy year for the NHSSC. The condition of our office base had deteriorated and while on a short term lease we were exploring alternatives for a move. As you read this we will have relocated to Broughshane.

Our regular monthly meetings continued throughout the year rotating venues throughout our area and we met with Northern Health and Social Services Board and separately with each of the three Trusts raising issues of concern about service commissioning and provision.

The Review of Public Administration signals big changes for health and social services structures and from April 2008 HSSCs will be replaced by a Patient and Client Council. Much work is being done to ensure that the new PCC body meets the expectations of users.

NHSSC staff and members have represented Council and the wider public on numerous Steering Groups, Committees, Working Parties and events on subjects as diverse as bereavement, prosthetics, ambulance services, avian flu, doctors performance, etc. It is also important that we as an organization remain fit for purpose and meet our obligations in terms of risk management, staff training and development, equality legislation and participate fully in Agenda for Change.

Particularly during the year I would like to highlight the Bugwatch surveys at Antrim and Causeway Hospitals and the Casualty Watch at Mid-Ulster Hospital (click here for reports).

Putting forward a user perspective is at the core of our work and on average NHSSC views were sought on four consultations per month with peaks in June and December. My thanks and appreciation go to the staff Jackie, Jacqui and Briege (and to Vicky providing maternity cover) for their hard work and to the members for their help, support and dedication to the NHSSC.

As we move towards a PCC the four HSSCs are working collaboratively and have agreed a joint programme of work which we will focus upon over the next two years.

NOEL GRAHAM
CHIEF OFFICER